Powered golf bag carrier



April 12, 1955 R. H. vole'r 2,706,008

POWERED GOLF BAG CARRIER Filed May 14, 1954 3 Shets-Sheet l INVENTOR.#08527 H. (lo/G7,

' BY wW WW v 49m United States Patent 2,706,008 POWERED GOLF BAG CARRIERRobert H. Voigt, Milford, Mich. Application May 14, 1954, Serial No.429,843 3 Claims. (Cl. 180-19) This invention relates to poweredvehicles, and more particularly to an improved golf bag carrier.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedpowered golf bag carrier which is simple in construction, which is easyto operate, and which may be driven at any speed desired by the user, inaccordance with the users taste and which is arranged to carry not onlythe users golf bags, but accessory objects, such as a beverage cooler, abasket, and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved powered golfbag carrier which may be easily folded to a compact condition, which iseasy to set up for use, which is provided with braking means to securethe carrier in a stationary position when the motor thereof isdeenergized, and which is provided with means to automatically increasethe torque of the driving motor thereof under unusually heavy loadingconditions, such as in going up a steep incline.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedpowered golf bag carrier which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture,which is light in weight, which is rugged in construction, which isprovided with means for accurately controlling the speed thereof, andwith additional means for reversing the direction of movement thereofwhen desired, the carrier device being easy to steer and being arrangedso that its speed can be adjusted to match the walking pace of the userthereof.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of an improved powered golf bag carrierconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the golf bag carrier of Figure 1 shownwith the handle thereof folded rearwardly to an inoperative position.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the powered golf bag carrier inthe position thereof of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical cross sectional detail viewtaken on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross sectional detail View taken on the line 55of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on the line 66of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuitemployed in the powered golf bag carrier of Figures 1 to 6.

Referring to the drawings, the powered golf bag carrier is designatedgenerally at 11. The carrier 11 comprises a wheeled frame, said framecomprising the front bottom transverse tubular member 12, the reartransverse bottom tubular member 13, and the tubular longitudinal sidemembers 14 and rigidly connected to the transverse tubular members 12and 13, as shown in Figure 2, the rear transverse tubular member 13containing a rear axle on the ends of which are rotatably mounted therespective rear ground-engaging supporting wheels 16, 16. Said rear axleis designated at 17 in Figure 3.

As is shown in Figure 3, the longitudinal side members 14 and 15 areinclined downwardly and forwardlyfrom the transverse tubular sleevemember 13 toward the transverse tubular member 12. Rigidly secured tosaid transverse members inwardly adjacent the respective longitudinaltubular side members 14 and 15 are the respective, generally L-shapedcarrier bars 18, 18 having horizontal main body portions and verticalrear end portions connected to the transverse tubular member 13, saidvertical rear end portions being shown at 19. The carrier bars 18 areadapted to support a battery box 20, as shown in Figure 3.

Rigidly secured to the mid portion of the front transverse tubularmember 12 is the vertical upstanding support bar 21, to the top end ofwhich is secured the horizontal, forwardly extending arm 22. Arm 22 isrigidly braced to arm 21 by an arcuate, upwardly and forwardly extendingarm 23 secured at its rear end to the inter mediate portion of verticalbar 21 and provided at its upper end with the bushing member 24 which isrigidly secured to the end of the horizontal arm 22. Designated at 25,25 are additional vertical upstanding frame members rigidly secured tothe transverse member 12 on opposite sides of the bar member 21. Theforwardly extending arm 22 is further braced by being connected to thebight portion of a U-shaped brace bar 26 whose arms are respectivelyrigidly connected to the respective vertical upstanding frame members25, 25.

Designated at 27, 27 are respective tubular bars having flattened ends.The lower ends of the tubular bars 27, 27 are pivotally connected to theflattened top ends of the vertical frame bars 25, as by a transverselyextending bolt 28 which extends through the flattened ends of themembers 25 and 27 and through a spacer tube 29 interposed between thejoined flattened ends of the members on the opposite sides of the frame,as shown in Figure 2. The bolt 28 is threadedly engaged through a nut 30welded on the flattened end 31 of the vertical bar member 25' on theright side of the frame, as viewed in Figure 1, whereby tightening ofthe bolt 28 will lock the bars 27, 27 in pivotally adjusted positionswith respect to the frame bars 25, 25. The abutting surfaces of theflattened ends of the bars 25 and 27 are preferably serrated, as shownin Figure 2, to frictionally lock the members 25 and 27 in pivotallyadjusted positions.

Designated at 32, 32 are respective tubular frame members havingflattened ends 33, 33 which are pivotally connected to the flattened topends 34, 34 of the members 27, 27, as by a transverse bolt 35 engagedthrough the ends 33 and 34 of the members 27 and 32 and through a spacertube 36 disposed between the respective pairs of superimposed flattenedends 33 and 34. A nut 37 is welded on the flattened end 34 of the member27 at the right side of the carrier frame, as viewed in Figure 1,through which the bolt 35 is threadedly engaged, the abutting surfacesof the flattened portions 33 and 34 being serrated, as shown in Figure2, so that by tightening the bolt 35, the members 27 and 32 will belocked in ad justed positions relative to each other.

Designated at 38, 38 are respective tubular brace bars which areemployed to connect the intermediate portions of the respective barmembers 32, 32 to the ends of the transverse bottom forward tubularframe member 12, as by wing screws 39, 39 engaged through the flattenedlower ends 40 of the strut bars 38, 38 and threadedly engaged in theends of the transverse bottom frame mernber 12, and by bolts 41 and wingnuts 42 engaged through the flattened top ends 43 of the strut bars 38and through upstanding end lugs on a transverse bar 44 rigidlyconnecting the intermediate portions of the members 32. 32. saidupstanding end lugs being shown at 45, 45.

The rear ends of the tubular members 32, 32 are rigidly connected by atransversely extending bight element 46 to which is secured a concavebracket plate 47. The respective side portions of the bracket plate 47are formed with vertical slots 48 adapted to receive a fastening strap49 for securing a golf bag 50 in the concave bracket 47, as shown inFigure l.

Designated at 51 is a generally semicircular, forwardiy and downwardlyinclined bottom, bag-supporting bracket which is rigidly secured to thetransverse rear tubular frame member 13, as by forwardly and upwardlyinclined rigid supporting straps 52 formed on the respective ends of thebracket 51 and welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the transversetubular frame member 13.

The supporting plate 51 bottom of a golf bag 50 in a portion of the golfbag may bracket member 47 by means above described.

As will be seen from Figure 1, the longitudinal members 32, 32, thetransverse element 46, the spacer tube is adapted to support theposition wherein the upper be secured to the concave of the fasteningstrap 49,

receivable in the handle element 83.

36, and the transverse intermediate supporting strap member 44 define arectangular receptacle adapted to receive a basket or the like, shown indotted view at 53 in Figure l, whereby miscellaneous articles may be supported by the carrier along with the golf bag 59.

As will be also apparent from Figure 1, the space between the basket 53and the battery box 21; may be employed to support other objects, forexample, a beverage cooler 54. As illustrated in Figure l, the batterybox 26 may be provided on its top cover with a' pair of angle bracketsto which may be secured depending securing flanges 56 carried by thebeverage cooler 54, as by bolts 57 and wing nuts 58.

Designated at 59 is shaft which is suitably ,iournaled in thebushingmember d and which has secured to its bottom end the plate memberThe steering shaft 59 is formed at its top end with the horizontal arm61, said arm being braced to the shaft 59 by the inclined stud 62.. Thetop arm has secured thereto the apertured pivot lug s3. Designated at 64is a tubular handle bar which is formed with a flattened end portion 65to which is secured the offset pivot bracket 66, said pivot bracketbeing pivotally connected to the apertured pivot lug 63 by a bolt 57 andwing nut as, the 66 and the pivot lug d3 being serrated so that saidelements may be rigidly secured in adjusted angular relation relative toeach other by tightening the wing nut 63.

The end of the handle bar 64 carries a U-shaped bracket plate 69 inwhich is mounted a multiple posi tion selector switch 71 which has anoperating shaft ro'ecting from a side of the bracket 69 and which isprovided with a control handle 71 which may be rofated to bring the pole72 of the switch, shown in Figure 7, selectively into contact with anyone of the stationary contact elements 73 to 77 of the s vitch.

As shown in Figure 7, the battery box 26 contains a battery unit whichis suitably tapped to define a series of positive battery terminals 78to 81 providing successively increasing battery voltage relative to thenegative terminal 32 of the battery unit. The taps 73 to 31 areconnected respectively by conductors in a suitable cable to therespective switch contacts 74 to 77. Thus, by operating the control knob71 of the switch 76, the pole 72 may be brought into contact with anyselected one of the switch contacts 74 to 77, and may thus connect thepole 72 to a desired voltage tap 78, 79, S or 81 of the battery unit.The switch terminal 73 is unconnected, and therefore when the pole 72engages said switch terminal, the pole is disconnected from the battcry.

Secured to the top portion of the bracket member $9 is a forwardlyextending, downwardly facing, channelsbaped handle element 33, andpivoted to said handle element 83 adjacent the rear end of the handleelement t is a movable grip member 84, said grip member being Suitablespring means, not shown, are provided inside the handle element 83,biasing the grip element 84 downwardly. Mounted in the handle element 33is a reversing switch 35 having a depending actuating button as whichextends'toward the grip element 34 but which is normally spacedtherefrom. The button element 86 is secured to the pole 87 of the switch85, said switch eing provied with a biasing spring 88 which normallycauses the pole 87 to engage a first stationary contact 89. When thegrip element 84 is moved upwardly relative to the handle element 33, asby exerting a squeezing pressure on the grip element 84 relative to thehandle element 83, the grip element 84 engages the button 36 and movessaid button away from the stationary contact 8% and into conductiveengagement with a second stationary contact 91 As will be presentlydescribed, this causes the driving motor of the device to reverse itsdirection of rotation, whereby the device will move rearwardly insteadof forwardly.

Mounted on the rear portion of the top of bracket member 69 is a pushbutton switch 91 which has the pole 53 and the stationary contact 93,the pole 92 being normally disengaged from contact 93 but beingengageable therewith when the operating button 91a of the switch, shownin Figure l, is depressed.

Secured to the plate 60, above described, are the depending supportingarms 94, 94 at one side of the plate, said supporting arms convergingdownwardly and being substantially vertical steering abutting surfacesof the pivot bracket 95 extending horizontally, as shown rigidlyconnected at their lower ends to a journal sleeve Figure 4. Rigidlysecured to the opposite side marginal portions of the plate 63 are thedownwardly and outwardly inclined supporting arms 96 having theflattened vertical lower ends $7 to which is secured the side wall 98 ofa gear box Vertically mounted on the top wall 100 of said gear box isthe electric motor 191, said motor having a pair of forward fieldwindings Hi2 and 103 and a reverse field winding 104.

The shaft of the motor extends through the top wall 1% of the gear boxand has secured thereon the gear life which meshes with a gear 31%secured on the end of a shaft 167 journaled in the gear box, one end ofsaid shaft being journaled in a suitable manner to the wall 108 and theother end of said shaft being journaled in an adjustable bushing ldbwhich is threadedly engaged through the wall 199 of the gear boxopposite the wall ltltl. Keyed to the shaft 1il'7 for rotation therewithand for longitudinal sliding movement thereon is a worm 118* whichmeshingly engages a worm gear 111 secured on a shaft 112. The shaft 112is suitably journaled to the respective vertical walls 93 and 113 of thegear box at and 115, as shown in Figure 4. The shaft 112 is formed withan external squared portion 116 which merges with a reduced cylindricalportion 117. Said cylindrical portion 117 extends through the sleeve 95and rotatably carries the forward traction wheel 118, said tractionwheel being supported on suitable bearings 119. Secured to the hub ofthe traction wheel is a plate member 12 which is formed at its oppositeends with apertures receiving pins 121, 121 carried bya clutch plate 122which is slidably mounted on the squared shaft portion but which iskeyed to said squared portion for positive rotation th rewith. A coiledspring 123 surrounds the squared portion 116 and bears between the plate122 and a collar member 124 rigidly secured on the squared shaft portion11-6 and being employed as a means for connecting the outer portion ofthe shaft of the traction wheel 11%, including reduced portion 117 andsquared portion 116 to the inner portion of said shaft, contained in thegear box, said inner portion having the connection flange 125 which isfastened to the collar 124, as by a removable screw member 126. Aplurality of connecting screws 126 may be employed to provide a rigidconnection between the collar 124 and 125, it being understood that anysuitable fastening means may be employed to provide a driving connectionbetween the inner portion of the shaft 112 contained in the gear box andthe external portion of said shaft including the reduced element 117 onwhich the traction wheel 118 is mounted.

As will be readily apparent from Figure 4, the coiled spring 123 biasesthe plate 122 to the left, as viewed in Figure 4, causing the pins 121to engage the apertures in the plate 120, and providing a drivingconnection between shaft 112 and the traction wheel 118 under normalconditions.

Slidably keyed to the shaft 167 is a conical cam member 127 which isengageable by the end of worm 110 when said worm is moved longitudinallyalong shaft 107, as when the traction wheel 118 encounters an unusuallyheavy load, such as when the carrier ascends a steep slope. The conicalcam 127 is engaged by a coiled spring 128 which surrounds the shaft 107and which is positioned between the cam 127 and the end of theadjustable bushing member 108. Thus, the force required for the cam tobe moved against the spring 128 may be regulatedlby adjusting theposition of the bushing 198, the bushing being locked in position by alock not 129 engaged thereon and being tightened to lock said bushingin'adjusted position. Designated at 130 is a switch which is mountedinside the gear box and which has an actuating arm 131 disposed inwardlyadjacent the conical cam element 127, the arm 131 being engageable bythe cam 127 in response to the aforesaid unusually heavy loadingcondition to cause the switch to be closed, said switch being normallyopen, as shown in Figure 7.

As shown in Figure 7, the normal energizing winding 102 of the motor 101has one terminal thereof connected to a first brush 132 of the motor.The other terminal of the energizing winding 162 is connected by, aconductor 133 to the pole'92 of switch 91. The contact 93 of switch 91is connected by a wire 134 to the upper contact 89 of switch 85, whichis normally engaged by the pole 87 of switch 85. Pole 87 is connected bya wire 135 to the pole 72 of the multiple position selector switch 70.Thus, when the pole 72 engages one of the contacts 74 to 7'7 of switch70, said pole 72 is connected to one of the positive voltage taps 78 to81 of the battery unit of the device. The negative terminal 82 of thebattery unit is connected by a wire 136 to the remaining main motorbrush 137. Also connected to wire 136 is the motor brush 138 associatedwith the auxiliary forward energizing winding 103. Cooperating with theauxiliary brush 138 is the opposite auxiliary brush 139 connected to oneterminal of the winding 103. The other terminal of the winding 103 isconnected to the pole 140 of the switch 130. The stationary contact 141of switch 130 is connected to wire 133. Thus, when the traction wheel118 encounters an unusually heavy load, such as ascending a steep grade,the switch 130 closes, connecting the auxiliary energizing winding 103in parallel with the normal energizing winding 10 providing an increasein the power output of the motor 101, as would be required to take careof the increase in loading on the traction wheel 118.

One terminal of the reversing winding 104 is connected to the motorbrush 132, and the other terminal of said winding 104 is connected by awire 142 to the lower contact 90 of reversing switch 85.

From Figure 7 it will be seen that when the pole 72 of the multipleposition switch 70 engages one of the contacts 74 to 77, the motor 101will be energized to drive the traction wheel 118 in a forward directionby a circuit which includes brush 137, wire 136, the negative terminalof the battery unit, one of the positive terminals 78 to 81 of thebattery unit, one of the contacts 74 to 77 of the switch 70, the pole 72of said switch, wire 135, pole 87 of switch 85, upper contact 89 of saidswitch, Wire 134, the switch 91 in the closed position, which isobtained by depressing the switch button 94, the wire 133, theenergizing winding 102, and the remaining motor brush 132. If theoperator desires to reverse the direction of movement of the carrier, heapplies squeezing force between handle member 83 and grip element 84,causing the pole 87 of switch 85 to be moved downwardly into contactwith the stationary contact element 90, whereby the reversing winding104 of the motor is connected to the battery unit in place of thenormal, forward driving winding. The energizing circuit for reversingwinding 104 includes the brush 137, wire 136, negative terminal 82 ofthe battery unit, one of the positive terminals 78 to 81 of said batteryunit, one of the contacts 74 to 77 the switch, the wire 135, the pole 87of the reversing switch 85, the lower contact 90 of said switch, wire142, the reversing winding 104 and the brush 132 of the motor.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that the carrier maybe folded, when not in use, to a relatively compact condition, byremoving the members 38, 38 and rotating the frame members 27, 27counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, to rotate the members 32, 32and the bracket element 47 downwardly to a position wherein the bracketelement 47 engages the bottom rest 51. The handle bar 64 may similarlybe rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, to a positionwherein the handle element 83 engages the spacer sleeve 36. The spacersleeve 36 is provided with a fastening loop 150 at its intermediateportion which is lockingly engageable with a hook element 151 carried onthe handle element 83, the loop 150 being rotatable into lockingengagement with the hook element 151 by rotating the spacer sleeve 36 tothe position thereof shown in Figure 3.

With the parts folded and interlocked, as above described, therespective transverse bolts 35 and 28 may be tightened to lock thecarrier in its folded condition.

The arms 27, 27 are connected at their intermediate portions by atransverse bar member 153 which is provided at its intermediate portionwith a pair of spaced lug elements 154, 154 arranged to receive thevertical steering shaft 59 therebetween when the device is in itsassembled position, shown in Figure 1.

As above explained, when the carrier is being operated under normalconditions in its forward direction of movement, when an unusually heavyload is placed on the motor 101, such as when a steep grade isencountered, the worm is moved axially on the worm shaft 107 and engagesthe conical cam 127 to cause said cam to operate switch 131 and connectthe auxiliary motor winding 103 in parallel with the main winding 102thereof, to allow the motor to assume to additional load without drawingexcessive current through any of its windings. When the motor circuit isopened, as by releasing the push button element 94 of the switch 91, themotor 101 will become deenergized, but since the worm 110 remains inmesh with the worm gear 111, the carrier will be secured in a stationaryposition since the engagement of the worm with the worm gear functionsas a brake to prevent undesired slipping of the carrier down a grade andretains the carrier in any position in which it is desired to park same.

While a specific embodiment of an improved powered golf bag carrier hasbeen disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood thatvarious modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitationsbe placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A powered golf bag carrier comprising a wheeled frame, a verticalsteering shaft journaled to said frame, a traction wheel journaled tosaid steering shaft, a motor secured to said steering shaft, meansdrivingly coupling said motor to said traction wheel, said meansincluding a worm gear connected to said traction wheel, a worm meshingwith said worm gear, means slidably keyed to said worm and connected tosaid motor, whereby the worm may move axially under different loadingconditions, an auxiliary driving winding in said motor, an auxiliaryswitch operated by said worm, and an auxiliary motor circuit includingsaid battery, auxiliary driving winding and auxiliary switch.

2. A powered golf bag carrier comprising a wheeled frame, means on oneside of said frame for supporting a. golf bag in an upright position, avertical steering shaft journaled to said frame on the side thereofopposite said means, a traction wheel journaled to said steering shaft,a motor secured to said steering shaft adjacent said traction wheel, aworm gear connected to said traction wheel, a worm slidably coupled tosaid motor and meshing with said worm gear, said worm being movableaxially under different loading conditions, a main control switchcarried by said steering shaft, a battery mounted on said frame, anenergizing circuit connected to said motor including said battery andmain control switch, an auxiliary electrical drive winding in saidmotor, an auxiliary switch operated by said worm, and an energizingcircuit for said auxiliary drive winding including said battery and saidauxiliary switch.

3. A powered golf bag carrier comprising a wheeled frame, means on oneside of said frame for supporting a golf bag in an upright position, avertical steering shaft journaled to said frame on the side thereofopposite said means, a traction wheel journaled to said steering shaft,a reversible electrical motor secured to said steering shaft adjacentsaid traction wheel, a worm gear connected to said traction Wheel, aworm slidably coupled to said motor and meshing with said worm gear,said worm being movable axially under different loading conditions, amain control switch carried by said steering shaft, a battery mounted onsaid frame, an energizing circuit connected to said motor including saidbattery and main control switch, a reversing switch carried by saidsteering shaft, a reverse energizing circuit connected to said motor andcontrolled by said reversing switch, an auxiliary electrical drivewinding in said motor, an auxiliary switch operated by said worm, and anenergizing circuit for said auxiliary drive winding including saidbattery and said auxiliary switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,448,992 Love et al. Sept. 7, 1948 2,463,972 Jackson Mar. 8, 19492,513,718 Gfrorer July 4, 1950 2,523,893 Williamson Sept. 26, 1950FOREIGN PATENTS 503,604 Great Britain Apr. 11, 1939

